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Journal of Politics and Law; Vol. 5, No.

4; 2012
ISSN 1913-9047
E-ISSN 1913-9055
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education

A Critique on Feminist Research Methodology


Basharat Hussain1 & Amir Zada Asad1
1

Institute of Social Work, Sociology and Gender Studies, University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Correspondence: Basharat Hussain, Institute of Social Work, Sociology and Gender Studies, University of
Peshawar, Pakistan. E-mail: basharat04@yahoo.com
Received: September 12, 2012
doi:10.5539/jpl.v5n4p202

Accepted: October 25, 2012

Online Published: November 29, 2012

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jpl.v5n4p202

Abstract
In almost all advanced countries of the world, the discourse about the existence or other wise of a feminist
research methodology has been live at least for the last few decades. There are argument in favour of and against
the existence of such a methodology to be called Feminist and its validity. This article criticizes the arguments
made by feminist research methodology and maintains that these claims do not establish it as a coherent and
cogent mode of inquiry distinct from other non-feminist research methods.
Keywords: feminist research, gender, womens empowerment, qualitative research, women experiences
1. Introduction
Feminism refers to the belief and claim that women should have the same rights, powers and opportunities as
men. Feminist approach argues that women suffer more than men, are more poor than men and are discriminated
in all welfare policies. Based on these assumptions feminists argue that women are not truly represented in
studies and researches and are pursuing a distinct methodology of research they call it Feminist. They claim to
have specialized research methods and techniques but the opponent say these methods of research already
existed and were in vogue and have nothing to do with feminists.
The feminists have long been trying to answer the question of what constitutes feminist social research? They
believe that there is a distinctively feminist mode of inquiry (Maynard, 1994:10). The argument is made on the
basis of certain characteristics which are claimed to be the main features of feminist research distinct from
traditional social science research; researching on women issues and focusing on gender relations. In other words,
a feminist research is carried out by a woman and drawing on the experience of women living in a world where
they are subordinate to men. Many writers have distinguished feminist research from others on four distinct
grounds which include focusing on gender relations, the validity of personal experience as against conventional
emphasize on scientific method; rejecting hierarchy in research relationship between the researcher and the
researched; and the adoption of emancipation of women as the goal of research.
Some writers (for example Hammersley, 1992) have challenged the foundations of the feminist methodology.
Hammersley (1992) criticized the basic components on which feminists laid their foundations and concluded
that:
The arguments in support of a feminist methodology do not establish it as a coherent and cogent
alternative to non-feminist research. Many of the ideas on which feminists methodologists draw are
also to be found in the non-feminist literature. (Hammersley, 1992:202)
However there is an overwhelming recognition that the feminist approach has brought substantial gains to the
development of social research through the positive and creative production of knowledge and should not be
undermined (Ramazanoglu, 1992). This article highlights the common features that constitute feminist research.
It also examines Hamersleys critique and rejection of feminist method.
2. Is There a Feminist Method?
There is no consensus over the basic foundation of what constitute a feminist research. The available literature
seems to suggest that many feminist authors have draw upon certain components as defining characteristics of
feminist research. Maguire (1987:74) for example argued that feminist research consists of no single set of
agreed upon research guidelines or methods. Nor have feminists agreed upon one definition of feminist research.
Some scholars have questioned the idea of having a feminist methodology at all (for example, Hammersley,
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1992); others have preferred instead to focus on what feminist research methodology actually includes a way
of dealing with the problem (Rheinharz, 1992). Rheinharzs view is that feminists have adopted some of the
existing methods and also have developed new ones as well so that feminist research practices must be known as
a plurality, that is, a perspective that uses several methodologies.
Kelly has argued that feminist methodology can be differentiated from others on the basis of nature of questions,
the position of the researcher and the purpose of the research (Maynard, 1994). Furthermore, Roslyne Bologh, a
US sociologist writes that
The question of difference is one with the question of identity. It is becoming the critical question for
feminist theorizing in all the disciplines including social science research methods as feminists begin
to question and challenge the implicit male perspective of the dominant paradigms, methodological
strictures, and theoretical assumptions of the various disciplines (Reinharz, 1992: 3)
It is argued that feminist research is exclusively feminist because it is the feminist beliefs, motives, concerns and
knowledge that act as the guiding framework to the whole research process. The methodology of feminist
research differs from that of traditional social science researches on the basis of three reasons. First, feminist
research explores and challenges the power imbalance between the researcher and the researched. Second, the
feminist research is politically driven and has a sense of purpose and has an important role in removing the social
inequalities. And finally, it asks for the experiences of women to guide the whole research process (Landman,
2006). Feminist methodology is mainly concerned about the way knowledge is produced about the social life and
how it can be connected to the social realities of women. Similar claims were made by Sandra Harding when she
stated that studying and knowing the perspectives of women, accepting the researcher as part of the research
subject and appreciating the beliefs of the researcher guides the feminist research process. She argued that "they
can be thought of as methodological features because they show us how to apply the general structure of
scientific theory to research on women and gender" (Harding, 1987: 9). The following section will discuss
in-depth the defining features of feminist research.
2.1 Focus on Gender
One of the key points of feminist research is its central concern with gender. The belief that the positions and
powers of men and women are different in this social world, therefore this factor plays an important role in the
research process. The conventional social science is considered as largely an expression of men which represent
the male dominance voice in the patriarchal society (Smith, 1987).
The knowledge about womens lives and experiences are either absent or has been constructed by men from their
own perspective. The traditional social research has investigated mens social world and the areas which are of
interest to them. The experiences of women in public places are consciously made invisible or are produced from
male perspective. The exclusion of womens voices and experiences in the production of knowledge are matter
of concern for the feminist researchers.
Lather (1988) argued that the main purpose of the feminist research is to overcome the invisibility and distortion
of female experience. It further argues that the concerns, perspectives and experiences of women provide the
base of feminist research. Issues which are of interest to women provides the starting point for conducting
research which embodies the experiences of women in the real world by using their own interpretation and using
their own language. Feminist research studies womens lives focusing on their views and experiences which had
previously been ignored by the social science researches. Traditionally, Maguire (1987) argued the concepts of
objectivity, knowledge and reasons of the social world were produced by men and have become the dominant
and objective view of the social world. Feminists argue that such analysis ignores gender differences and
experiences and that conventional social science is male biased. As Hammersley (1992) argued;
Since gender difference structure person experience and belief, and given male dominance in society
generally, conventional social science is primarily an expression of the experience of men presented
as if it were human experience (Hammersley, 1992: 187).
Hammersley (1992) admitted the influence of feminist method which has increased research on gender related
issues, which was previously ignored if compared to class and ethnicity. However, he questioned the primacy of
feminist methodology. He argued that privileging the inevitable efforts and significance of gender is to ignore the
other important aspects of the phenomenon under study. It does not seem to suggest that gender is not an
important variable; however, gender should not be given any pre-established preference over other variables
(Hammersley, 1992).
One of the problems for Hammersley (1992) is that feminists study only women. He argued that the lives of both
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men and women are so closely related that it is impossible to study one without others. Studying womens
experiences only would mean ignoring the social world that actually produces these experiences.
Hammersleys (1992) work was strongly criticised by feminist writers. Gelsthorpe (1992) for example argued
that Hammersley was wrong to assign the word gender to women only. In contrast, gender is a wider term
which refers to womens relationship to men and examination of the dominant masculine social world from
womens perspective (Stanley and Wise, 1983).
2.2 The Validity of Personal Experience against Scientific Method
The second distinctive feature of feminist research is its focus on the validity of personal experience as against
the scientific method. Du Bois (1983:108-10) argued that the central agenda of feminist is to address the
problems of women and of their experiences in their own way and to create theory which is grounded in the real
life experience by using the language of women. The purpose of research must be the identification of actual
facts without any external influences (Hammersley, 1992).
Feminist researchers argue that women are the symbols of oppression being forced to fulfill the demands of their
oppressors. These are the women who have experienced the oppression on their own psyche and bodies and are
in better position to describe how exploitation and oppression would feel to the victims. Men usually do not have
the practical knowledge of such experience and therefore lack sociological imagination of such exploitation.
They also lack empathy and the ability to identify and understand the oppression and exploitation of women
(Mies, 1983).
For feminist researchers, access to the truth about the social world is often guided by the womens experience
that is not available to men. It is the belief of feminist researchers that personal experiences cannot be invalidated
or nullified. Personal experiences are something which are felt and these experiences and feeling are real for
women going through it (Stanley and Wise, 1983).
Feminist researchers believed that feminism has a distinct method of conducting social research. They generally
refer to the qualitative approach in understanding womens problems and their lives. In contrast, the quantitative
approach, especially the survey and questionnaire methods, is considered as a masculine mode of working
(Maynard, 1994). The feminist argument is based on the premise that the qualitative method gives more space to
women to express their experience than the quantitative method. It is argued that structured methods lack the
personal and social character of the research process and often impose the rules of the uninvolved researcher
(Reinharz, 1992).
The feminists argue that quantification of actors lives distort rather than reflect actors meanings (Maynard,
1994:11). In addition, this method is unable to cover the in-depth feeling and understanding of peoples lives. For
feminists, researches which employ the pre-coded or closed ended questions are very narrow in scope and such
methods cannot understand properly the lives of women in the social world (Maynard, 1994). Such researches
based on common-sense and a priori limited conception is unable to explore and investigate the realities of
womens lives. Feminist argue that many aspects of womens lives which cannot be pre-defined or presume in
advance like the traditional social science researches do. The feminist approach rejects the imposition of
externally defined structures in understanding womens lives (Maynard, 1994).
Feminist researchers consider objectivity and neutrality as a masculine perspective in order to exercise power
and control. Objectivity for feminists is an excuse being used for power relationship which treat women as mere
objects and keep them in subordinate position by men. Feminist strongly criticized those who object the
significance of personal experience and do not consider it as valid and true (Stanley and Wise, 1983)
Hammersley (1992) objected to the feminists claim and argued that reliance on experience over method is not
distinctive to feminists. It is the common feature of the qualitative methodology. Hammersley (1992) argued that
there is no single and direct way to access the truth. The knowledge about the realities of life can be gathered
through different means. We should not emphasize on the use of either experience or method; these are two
indispensible ways of collecting information in social science researches. Both methods have their own
important place in social science researches and should be used in order to remove the weakness of individual
research tool. Hammersley (1992) argued that method in an important element in the research activity. It reveals
how the research was organized and conducted. It leaves the research open for scrutiny, discussion and for
improvement.
Rejecting method would pose the risk of treating some of the experiences or assumptions of the researchers or
participants beyond questions where these require proper scrutiny (Hammersley, 1992). In some situations, he
argued that the unstructured methods would give more in-depth understanding of the situation than a structured
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method. However, it is a mistake to argue, as many feminists do that unstructured methods are appropriate to all
purposes (Hammersley, 1992). In response, Williams (1993) argued that Hamersleys assessment of feminist
methodology was conceptually too narrow. He added that feminists do not consider experience and method as
conflicting; they are rather complementary.
2.3 Rejecting Hierarchy in Research Relationship
Feminists are critical about the way the sociological researches gather data. Oakley (1981) for example argued
that a typical non-structured interview would not include pre-coded questions; it however cannot preclude the
emotional detachment of researcher from those being researched and in controlling the situation. The researcher
acts as a sponge soaking up of information, whereas the subjects are passive givers of information (Maynard,
1994:15). The feminists reject this power hierarchy between the researcher and the researched. They have argued
that the research process should not be mere a means of collecting data; it should rather be a mean of sharing
information with the personal involvement of the researcher in the research setting. Hammersley (1992:190)
therefore suggested that feminists reject hierarchy on three points. First on the ethical grounds which means that
feminist consider hierarchical relationship in the research process as unethical. It is believed that only
non-hierarchical relationship can best reveals the true realities of womens lives. Second point is on methodology.
It is feminist believe that the truth can only be discovered through establishing authentic relationships with the
research participants. Feminist believe that structured hierarchical relationship will distort the data gathering
process. And finally, if the research is to be effective in consciousness-raising, then it is important to engage the
respondents into the research process (Hammersley, 1992)
Furthermore, Stanley and Wise (1983) also rejected the hierarchical relationship between the researcher and the
research participants and argued that it treat people as mere research objects available to the researcher to
conduct research on. Morally, the treatment of people as objects (research object or sex object) is unjustifiable.
Feminist are concern about ensuring the accuracy of the information that depicts the lives and experiences of
women. It is suggested that the researcher is required to take the finalized information back to the research
participants for its verification because they are the real owner and experts of their personal life experiences. It is
a known fact that within the traditional social science researches, the whole research process is owned by the
researcher. Feminist research tries to restructure and remove the inequalities with respect to the notion of
ownership of knowledge produced in the research process (Wolf, 1996). Feminist research tries to keep the
authenticity and originality of the way participants give meaning to their life experiences which is a part of the
efforts for changing the power inequalities in feminist research.
Hammersley (1992) argued that it is difficult to avoid the hierarchical relationship in the research process.
Practically it is impossible for the researcher to interview anyone and whenever he wants. There has to be some
control over some part of the research process. Research is actually a very small and marginalized part of
peoples lives. In addition, he stated that there are a number of women holding powerful positions and feminists
cannot avoid hierarchical relationships in dealing with them.
2.4 Goal of the Research
Feminists argue that research for the sake of research is insufficient. The change of status quo must be the
starting point of the scientific inquiry (Mies, 1983). Instead of being a tool to uphold the dominant masculine
views of the world, feminist believe that research must serve the interests of women. This is not to suggest that
feminist research must be an abstract free from proper investigation but instead must have the commitment for
bringing social change.
Feminist research are not meant for simply seeking and presenting the data and information, it is rather aims to
provide recommendations for policy change with the researcher being a part of the collective efforts involved in
political activity. Therefore, feminist research is not about women but research for women to be used in changing
their sexist society. The commitment of the feminist research is based on the underlying motivation that research
and action cannot be separated in the research process.
In part, a commitment to bring societal changes entails a commitment to the research participants. The active
involvement of women in the research process provide them opportunity and space to pose questions and
critically assess their personal life experiences. It also helps in identification of the connections and links
between events in their lives and connecting them to the social world. The identification and understanding of
personal experience and connecting them with the social relations is important because it facilitate the analysis
of personal experiences and transformation. The best way of empowering women is education and knowledge
about their issues and the assertion that our personal life experiences are just a part of the larger social structure.
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Hammersley (1992) argued that for many feminists, the primary goal of research is not the production of valid
knowledge. For them, emancipation of women is more important to be achieved through the research process. In
addition, Mies (1983) stated that the research which until now has been used as instrument for the dominant and
the legitimatization of elite powers, must now serve the interests of the exploited and dominated groups,
especially women.
Hammersley (1992) criticized the notion that empowerment of women should be the sole goal of feminist
research. He argued that in todays world, there are various sources of oppression like race, ethnicity, sexuality
and class; it is therefore extremely difficult to build a single model of oppression. For example how can we
reduce racial oppression to class oppression? Moreover, we will find many people, who would be classified both
as oppressed and oppressors at the same time. For example, a black woman living in a Western society would be
classified as one of the oppressors when the focus is on international exploitation of different societies
(Hammersley, 1992).
3. Conclusions
Feminist research is concerned with studying the issues facing women at its starting point. It seeks to search and
explore the social dynamics and relationships in patriarchal society from womens perspective. Feminist research
is not just adding women to the research equation or engaging women as researchers. Feminist research takes
into account womens viewpoint as the base of the research. Such research proceeds from a standpoint that
values womens experience, needs and ideas of the social world. Feminist research also aims at bringing changes
and eliminating gender imbalances in the world. It would be wrong to suggest that feminist researchers consider
feminist research as one unified research methodology. There is no agreement on what feminist research is and
should be. Feminist researchers have put forward diverse methods which help in facilitating diverse knowledge
about social phenomenon. Feminist reject objectivity and talk about subjectivity and the partial truth of the social
world.
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